Chapter 132: Pretend Couple

Hearing this, Li Ruoke struck a masculine pose and retorted, "Hey, are you a beggar complaining about the gruel? So what if she’s signed with an agency? Hasn't she just started to make a little headway? Isn't she still just a third-rate, twenty-eighth-tier singer? My Weibo account, 'MMD Metaphysics Keke-chan,' has nearly two hundred thousand followers! That’s not a small number... I don’t necessarily lose when it comes to popularity.

"Besides, with my looks, I’m not a bit inferior to those popular actresses. Plus, I’m sharp-witted, talented in both pen and sword, possess excellent temperament, and am refined both inside and out..."

As she got more and more carried away, Qi Yan hurriedly told her to stop.

He tilted his head and said, "Is there even a comparison to be made here? I feel like this is all a bit nonsensical..."

Li Ruoke slammed the table. "Look at you... have some ambition! It’s settled. I’ll go with you tonight, and I guarantee I’ll help you save face, alright? Consider it me, the boss, providing my partner with a little care and concern for his social life."

"No, I mean..."

"Oh, stop being such a nagger, you’re so long-winded..."

Qi Yan had initially thought Li Ruoke was quite righteous for stepping up to help in a situation like this. But as he watched her grinning face, he began to feel that this girl might have ulterior motives. She might genuinely want to help him out a little, but in reality, she was just looking to stir up trouble and watch the show, wasn't she?

Qi Yan sighed. Why did girls love these kinds of melodramatic scenarios? They truly loved to fan the flames of a situation, indifferent to the consequences, just for the sake of entertainment.

"But... if we are really going, it’s too late for me to pick out a birthday gift now. She mentioned in her WeChat message that the restaurant she booked is a high-end seafood place in the shopping mall. Since I’m going to save face, the gift can’t be too shabby. When we were dating back in college, I only gave her small things for her birthday. Now that we’ve both grown up and are working, I can’t be so casual anymore."

Li Ruoke pondered for a moment and then asked, "What does your ex do for a living?"

Qi Yan shrugged. "She works in media, doing promotional work for an advertising firm. That’s why I ran into her at the Asian Culture and Arts Exhibition last time. And it’s precisely because she works in that industry that she knows this soon-to-debut, twenty-eighth-tier, third-rate singer..."

Li Ruoke had an idea the moment she heard that. "Simple! Don't go buy a special gift; just give her a Buddha amulet!"

"Huh?" Qi Yan was stunned. "What does her job have to do with giving a Buddha amulet?"

"It has nothing to do with it, but Buddha amulets are suitable for all ages. They are very trendy right now, and they are our own resources. Plus, if it’s a Buddha amulet, it’s hard to measure the gift’s value in mere money; it carries a sense of prestige."

That was true. The value of a Buddha amulet couldn't be measured by simple market price, unlike ordinary commodities like bags or clothes.

Come to think of it, Li Ruoke’s Buddha amulets were all authentic, sourced from temples and taken to various masters to be consecrated. The total cost for an ordinary amulet was only between one or two hundred to five or six hundred yuan. But when sold to customers, they went for at least one or two thousand, or even several thousand—sometimes even ten thousand!

There was another huge advantage: how creative was a Buddha amulet as a gift? It carried profound blessings, and it was imported; the gift was not light, and the sentiment was heavy.

If Chen Huiting believed in these things, it would be a gift of deep significance. Even if she didn't believe in them, it didn't matter; if he picked one with an exquisite casing and chain, it would still serve as an artistic accessory. He couldn't go wrong.

"You know, you’re right. A Buddha amulet is actually a great idea. It’s suitable in every way, and I’m sure it will be the most unique, creative, and sincere gift of the night. Plus, it doesn’t have to compete with those expensive, flashy gifts, so it won’t seem cheap."

The more Qi Yan thought about it, the more sensible it seemed, and he praised her repeatedly.

"It’s suitable, alright," Li Ruoke said with a smile. "Alright then, I’ll personally pick out a 'Four-Faced Buddha' with a consecrated talisman tube for her. It’s known for granting every wish. How about that?"

Qi Yan: "Great, that works!"

Li Ruoke: "Mhm, the cost will be deducted from your salary: 392 big ones."

Qi Yan: "..."

...

By evening, both of them had finished most of their work for the day. They left early and started to groom and dress up.

Even if they weren't going to the banquet to compete, it was still a gathering of old classmates at a high-end restaurant, so they couldn't be too sloppy. Qi Yan hadn't wanted to go initially, so he had dressed casually, forcing him to borrow a suitable black Korean-style suit from Li Lan to look the part.

Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he’d gathered with friends after work. Back in the days of discos and drinking, he used to put a lot of effort into getting ready. He washed his hair, styled it himself, and was currently in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting it with hairspray.

Li Ruoke took an absurdly long time to get ready. When she finally walked out of her room, Qi Yan was instantly stunned.

Her long, straight hair was draped behind her shoulders, looking as if she had specially straightened it again. She wore a fresh, elegant, light makeup, complete with earrings and a silver chain. She was dressed in a snow-white, form-fitting jumpsuit with a black belt at the waist. This was the first time Qi Yan had ever seen her in such an outfit.

"Ta-da! How is it? Zara! The latest style from this year. I just bought it at the duty-free shop in Bangkok last time."

Qi Yan pursed his lips, applauding her involuntarily. "Clothes make the man, and trees need their stakes... Dressed like this, you really look like a rich heiress. You’re poised, elegant, steady, fresh, and radiant—you look like an internet celebrity!"

Li Ruoke smiled coyly. "Hehe, even without makeup, I’m naturally beautiful, you know? Besides, I *am* an internet celebrity; what do you mean 'look like'? I have nearly two hundred thousand followers on Weibo."

As she spoke, she walked over in her high heels, took Qi Yan’s arm, flipped a strand of long hair behind her shoulder, and asked, "Xiao Lan, what do you think? Walking together, do we look like a couple? Are we a good match? Is it fashionable? Do we look like a couple from a fashion magazine?"

Li Lan, sitting in his wheelchair, had been watching them get ready with utter boredom. He scratched his cheek, expressionless: "Like... very much like."

Qi Yan gave him a thumbs up. "You’ve got a good eye!"

Li Lan immediately added, "Like... Black and White Impermanence."

Li Ruoke raised her hand as if to hit him. "I’m going to smack you..."

"I’ve ordered takeout for you; eat it yourself. We’ll probably be gone for two or three hours. Remember to feed the dog and the cat."